Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
If you have traveled anywhere lately, you may have noticed that hotels and airports are booming with activity. Streets and parks are abuzz with runners, joggers and cyclists. Everyone is back to their old lifestyle – or are they?
During the height of the pandemic, consumers shifted their focus to health and discovered the great outdoors and developed at-home fitness regimes. They also rediscovered the local parks and open areas since travel was limited. However, all that has changed, and Americans’ lifestyles have shifted once again.
According to a GoodFirms survey, 66% of respondents stated that the pandemic caused them to add to their current fitness regimes, and four in 10 purchased fitness equipment at home. When it comes to travel, Americans are back on the move and spending. As of early June, the U.S. Travel Association reported that travel spending, which is $100 billion, was 3% higher in April 2022 compared to 2019. When it comes to travel, 28% of travelers plan to spend more.
Reaching consumers with these new lifestyles is simple, of course by using a medium that is available to them on the go or at home. Nearly seven in 10 adults (66%) who regularly exercise at home two or more times per week or who plan on a travel vacation within the year listen to AM/FM radio.
Radio listeners are ready to move and groove – for fitness and travel. Did you know that 55% of radio listeners exercise as a hobby and are 16% more likely to purchase an airplane ticket within the next month? These stats are from a recently released report from Provoke Insights, a full-service market research firm.
Seventy-one percent of radio listeners are optimistic about their future, so fitness and lifestyle experiences matter to them. Overall, consumers are much more confident about their health, according to the report. They are also exercising more and are less concerned about travel.
Radio listeners are staying active versus nonlisteners as many have discovered the great outdoors. Specifically, 34% of radio listeners are camping or hiking versus nonlisteners (26%) and 26% are bicycling versus nonlisteners (19%). They have purchased fitness gear in the past month, and they are 49% more likely to purchase their gear in-store versus nonlisteners (39%). For radio listeners – shopping is all about the experience.
When it comes to experiences, radio listeners are ready to be on the go and travel. While they have a higher likeliness to purchase an airplane ticket, they are airline loyalists and are more likely to use their preferred airline versus nonlisteners. In fact, 24% of radio listeners have already gone on a domestic vacation in the past three months. They are also 22% more likely to be booking hotel stays.
The reasoning behind this is radio’s incredible power to influence, connect and drive sales. Provoke Insights’ survey results have shown that 55% of radio listeners believe that radio informs them of product and services. Radio educates listeners about available sales and exposures to those ads prompts them to go to a website, location or brand’s social media site. Simply stated, radio works.
RAB members can view the Provoke Insights report here.